Leprosy Research Initiative calls for proposals

The Leprosy Research Initiative (LRI) is pleased to announce a call for proposals for funding commencing in 2021. LRI funds research with a focus on leprosy – including research applications combining leprosy with other neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) or other diseases that share cross-cutting issues with leprosy.

Eligibility criteria:

• The main topic of the study must fall within one of the agreed priority areas.
• Research results must be directly applicable to leprosy services or to the wellbeing of persons affected by leprosy.
• Preference will be given to proposals from or in close collaboration with institutions or organisations in endemic countries.
• Project duration must not exceed four years (48 months).
• A typical project budget does not exceed €50,000 per year, but certain biomedical research projects may be eligible for supplemental funding.

In addition to the eligibility criteria, this year the LRI has a particular interest in studies which include specific strategies to improve the participation of persons affected in research and in studies which are in support of PEP implementation (across all priority areas).

Please note that salary costs of senior researchers in non-endemic countries will only be supported to a limited extent (normally to a maximum 0.1 fte).

Researchers interested to apply for funding by the LRI are invited to complete and submit a Letter of Intent (LoI), giving an outline of the intended research. The LoIs should be submitted using the LRI Grant Application portal – which can be accessed here.

LoIs should be submitted by 28 February 2020 at 23:59 (Amsterdam date and time) after which the application portal will be closed. LoIs will be screened by the LRI Steering Committee (SC). If the feedback by the SC is positive, the applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal before the next deadline (1 June 2020).